


Substance Abuse

by Leticheecopae



Series: Painful Needs [4]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: M/M, Sadstuck, Tentabulges, Xeno, hinted blackrom, redrom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-05
Updated: 2012-08-11
Packaged: 2017-11-11 11:35:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/478124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leticheecopae/pseuds/Leticheecopae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dave rubbed his fingers through Karkat’s hair, marveling on how much softer it was then Gamzee’s. Then of course Karkat bathed regularly. It was still coarser than human hair, but in a way that was like caterpillar fluff. He loved just running his hands through Karkat’s hair.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It continues...as always sorry for any gramatical errors, and thanks to taterdoom for pointing out I have been spelling moirail incorrectly for the longest freaking time...This has been fixed.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy. Hopefully you enjoy the red as much as the black.

Dave was asleep, his dreams barely tinged with the feeling of his bruises and bumps as he found one of his doomed selves in his bubble, the most recent victim in his series of deaths. They conversed a bit, Dave doing his best not to look at the scar around the other's throat. There was a seriously strange occurance with his doomed selves getting beheaded. It was the sound of the door slamming that woke him. Letting out an annoyed grunt he went to turn, only to find that yes, his arm was still quite hurt, and instead he let out a hiss of pain as he opened his eyes. Karkat was pacing, hands sliding through his hair frantically as he walked in what looked to be a very well traveled patch of concrete. It was the cleanest bit of floor in the room.

“What’s wrong babe?” Dave asked with a yawn. Karkat shot him a look that was mixed confusion and fear as he stopped.

“Gamzee’s gone. Again, and he took that fucking fridge with him meaning he does not want to be found. The nook gurgling pustual has gone awol, and if its anything like last time, then there is no fucking way I am going to be finding him on this shit hole any time soon,” Karkat went back to pacing. “And now he’s on that weed shit and who the fuck knows what prolonged exposure to that is going to do!”

“Make him get the munchies like no ones business,” Dave offered as he started to sit up with a hiss. Apparently Gamzee had fucked him harder than he had thought, his lower body protesting every movement while his face thrummed gently from the broken, but set, cheekbone. The worst of it would be over in a few days, thank the stars for god tier.

“And where the fuck is he going to get the food? Gamzee could barely feed himself without daily reminders from me over my goddamn husk top. For christ sake the last time he came back he looked even more like a skeleton then he did before he had turned homicidal.” Karkat was pulling at his hair as he said it. “I’m his fucking moirail! I should be there to make sure he doesn’t kill himself through starvation or just lose it! But I can’t do that if he can’t even fucking trust me enough with his all important ‘mission from the messiah's’ if he doesn’t tell me about it!”

Dave raised an eyebrow at him. So Gamzee was still hearing voices, well that was great news. No wonder the chuckle voodoo’s had been doing such a number on him. Dave managed to sit up against the wall and stretched an arm out towards Karkat.

“Hey, just breathe. He’s done this before, and he can’t overdose on weed, he would fall asleep first.” Dave said gently, hand waving towards Karkat to bring him closer.

“You also said that we couldn’t get high off the shit from eating it.” Karkat pointed out and Dave sighed a bit, though his hand just motioned Karkat to come over. Karkat gave him a disgruntled look for a moment, like he would rather go jump off the asteroid, but a few seconds later he was crawling up on the bed and settling in on Dave’s good side. Dave wrapped his arm around Karkat shoulders.

“This is more exhausting than when I had to keep my lusus from attacking my pan dead, cum guzzling,idiotic neighbors when they would walk on the fucking lawn.” Karkat muttered to which Dave did his best not to laugh. Karkat hesitantly snuggled against Dave, head disappearing into the skin of his shoulder, short horns just barely touching his hurt cheek. It made him wince a bit, but Dave didn’t pull away.

“Hey, chuckles will show up sooner or later. I mean, he has to come back and get his fix at some point.” Dave pointed out to which Karkat sighed, warm breath ghosting over his skin. Dave leaned his head against the wall, eyes closing.

“Wow,” he heard softly, and looking down to find Karkat studying his throat.

“What?” Dave asked, not moving as Karkat’s claw came up to trace the tendons in his neck.

“You must really trust me to show me your throat like that.” Karkat muttered, face going a bit red.

“Something you don’t seem to realize is that I’ve always trusted you dumb ass,” Dave ruffled Karkat’s hair a bit and got a slight glare. “Just enjoy bugging you too much.”

“Which is going to stop now that we’re red right?” There was a small peak of hope in Karkat’s voice.

“Not on your life.” Dave said with a chuckle and ducked his head just enough to put a kiss on the tip of Karkat’s horn. He smiled when he saw Karkat shiver. “These things really that sensitive?” He asked, curious. As much as he had gotten to touch Gamzee, there had never been any actual exploration. During the first small bout of makeouts, before Dave had to pass out again, he had found that troll tongues were longer than a humans. He had thought maybe it had just been Gamzee, but Karkat’s had been able to twine around his pretty damn well, though it wasn’t as long as Gamzee’s. Dave had also learned Karkat tasted really damn good.

“Shut the fuck up and just let me mull over the impending doom of my moirail in peace.” Karkat grumbled, but didn’t move as Dave started massaging the base of his horns. Another genuine smile tugged at his mouth as he watched Karkat’s eyes close, his face going somewhat lax as he massaged the troll’s scalp. When he added a bit of nail Karkat let out a muffled purring sound.

“Enjoying yourself?” Dave asked as Karkat shot him yet another, though half hearted, glare through half lidded eyes.

“Can you keep that tongue of yours from ruining everything or are you just cursed?” Karkat asked, eyes closing again as Dave continued to rub at his skull.

“It’s a gift, and you didn’t mind it that much earlier.” Dave added, bending to swipe a lick at Karkat’s nearest horn. The small whimper he got was well worth it. “God damn I am going to have fun with these.”

“Shut up Strider.” Karkat muttered. Dave did, going back to holding Karkat and looking into the darkness of the room. It didn’t take long for their breathing to even out and sleep to claim them.

\---------------

Dave shifted as the dream bubble disintegrated. He waved at his doomed self who had given him as much of an update as he could. There was something going on with the dream bubbles, something bad. That thought mostly drifted away from him with sleep when he attempted to shift, and got a sharp pain in his side. Eyes flying open Dave looked down to find Karkat wrapped around him, clawed hand gripping his side as his face creased. Dave relaxed, he should have been used to that already.

Less than a week from touch down and Gamzee was still nowhere to be found. It put Karkat on edge, and though it made Dave want to tear the clowns head off more than usual for making his Moirail panic, he couldn’t say he wasn’t enjoying parts of it. Mostly how he was now Karkat’s main form of comfort. He was learning a lot more about Karkat now that he wasn’t trying to prank him all the time, not to say he didn’t still poke fun at him and make him slightly uncomfortable. Now though, when Karkat got mad, he would give him a smirk and proceed to kiss him till the curses became little breathy sounds.

Dave was learning that Karkat really did give a shit about everyone behind his angry front. He was worried to death about Gamzee, not sure if the clown had managed to off himself in some part of the asteroid, or if he was in stalker mode again on Dave. Neither of them was sure which would be the prefered thing, though finding him alive and high as a kite would be the best situation.

Dave leaned down and pressed a kiss between Karkat’s eyes, making the troll settle a little and shift against him. He could barely see the top triangular scars on his back. Karkat had called them grub scars, from where his extra legs had fallen off during his first pupation. It had left him with just a small tail and learning how to walk on four, and two legs. During his second he had lost the tail and taken the form he was currently in. He had told dave that he and the other trolls would go through the last pupation stage at random, though Gamzee looked like he was going to go through it soon. His blood temperature had even started to drop which was a sure sign. Usually highbloods were some of the last to go through the change, longer life spans and all, but with all the damage Gamzee had done Karkat wouldn’t be surprised if he was now at the life span of an olive blood. Karkat just hoped it didn’t happen when Gamzee was missing, or during the next part of the game, that could end really poorly. Dave just hoped he was around so he could poke the clown with a stick. Apparently it was when trolls were at their weakest, and hot damn if he wasn’t going to use that against the clown.

Karkat’s breathing evened out completely and let out a slight mewl when Dave flicked his tongue against the others horn. He could feel his morning wood jump at the sound, but didn’t get his hopes up. Karkat had wanted everything slow. Dave hadn’t even gotten to see the other fully nude except a few times when he ‘accidentally’ walked in on him changing. It hadn’t been fruitful though, Karkat’s bone sheath or whatever it was called was always in place, making him look like a doll with a red line down the center. That hadn’t meant Karkat was against heavy petting when making out, and Dave had gotten away with coping a few feels here and there. Even before Karkat had allowed him to see him without the sweater he could tell he was thin, not sickly like Gamzee, but from stress and forgetting to eat at times. It left Karkat with a softer stomach than Gamzee. Dave enjoyed gently spread his fingers over it and making Karkat cuss while trying to wiggle away from the touches. It was the closest thing to ticklish Dave had figured out with him.

Karkat had started sleeping with him a week after the amazing cluster fuck that was the chuckle voodoos. For a while Karkat had kicked Dave out, or left Dave’s room when he got tired. It had annoyed Dave a bit, especially when he had just gotten comfortable with his arms tucked in around Karkat, but he went without too much teasing. He was usually pretty tired too, if not ready to go jerk himself off in the shower. But then karkat had shown up at his door one night, half clothed, eyes rimmed red, and shaking gently.

“Is he back?” Dave had asked, the idea of chuckle voodoo’s attacking leaving him to wonder if he should be getting ready for a strife and fuck session.

“No,” Karkat had said hoarsely, pushing past him, “Nightmare.” That had been it before he had pulled off his sweater and slid into Dave’s bed in what looked like a pair of boxers. Dave hadn’t asked anything, just crawled in next to him and pulled him flush to his chest. He was proud to say he had only nibbled on Karkat’s horns and made a few candy corn jokes before finally letting the troll sleep. Dave had woken up a few hours later to a whimpering Karkat, having to cover his face and head in soft pets and kisses to make the noises go away. He had had no idea the dream bubbles could be so bad for trolls, that the only times Karkat could escape them was when Gamzee had done similar things to him while they slept. The thought had made Dave a bit jealous, it also made him want to hold Karkat tighter. The idea that their dreams could be so horrible without the chuckle voodoo’s was just such an awful idea to him.

Terezi had always shrugged the dreams off when Dave had asked about them, saying that her worst dreams came from more recent memories, and that even the bad ones from the past never bothered her much. She had done her time, set her verdict, and the gavilan had dropped. No reason to mourn split rope when it had done its duty. Especially when the neck had made a clean break, though Dave had a feeling there were a few necks that had just slipped and left things dancing in the air for a bit. Terezi didn’t talk about that stuff with him though. He was the escape from memories, Kanaya was the one she went to for those things.

Karkat though had a horrible time with the dream bubbles. They would usually pick his worst memories, times of panic, days the drones were heard outside his door as his lusus explained he was not the correct sweep. This was mostly his lusus hissing and crouching in front of him, snapping. Karkat had always feared the day his ‘crabdad’ would leave. Apparently when a troll started pailing the large lusus creatures would slip away and never come back, ready to take on their next troll. It sounded pretty damn horrible to Dave. All of it did, and when Dave made a joke about pails to Karkat he watched conflicting emotions cross his face. Apparently they were both a thing of sex and fear. Sexually provoking because they were what they used to catch their genetic material. Scary as fuck because the drones were the ones coming to collect them.

“Well I could always be your bucket.” Dave had teased, and hot damn if Karkat hadn’t turned the most delicious shade of red he had ever seen. Since that conversation Dave had decided he would never use a bucket with Karkat, even if the troll insisted when they finally got to having interspecies sex.

Dave rubbed his fingers through Karkat’s hair, marveling on how much softer it was then Gamzee’s. Then of course Karkat bathed regularly. It was still coarser than human hair, but in a way that was like caterpillar fluff. He loved just running his hands through Karkat’s hair. In a few moments he would have to wake him up though. Rose had called another meeting, and that meant rousing his ‘flush crush’ as Terezi had said jokingly. So far everyone had taken it pretty well. Rose hadn’t acted surprised in the least, though both Terezi and Kanaya had been a bit shocked. Kanaya had let it slide with a look of curiosity and few hushed questions to Rose while Terezi had grinned like an idiot and asked Dave all manner of questions. Dave had asked her once if she had ever had red feeling for Karkat. She had laughed.

“Oh they were around for a while,” she had admitted. “But after a time they just went a bit more to the pale side. I never could sort them out quite well enough to ever figure it out, and then with the game the last thing I care about is quadrants. Let’s worry about that after we sentence Noir and have him hanging from his red miles.”

“So no holding it against me that I’ve got Karkat’s red?” Dave had asked, wanting to make sure they were still cool.

“Oh hell no. I thought you two might have been black if Gamzee hadn’t gotten you first, but if anything I think you need to give him a good long pailing. Then maybe there will be a day of semi-silence on this rock.” She had cackled then. The mayor had looked like he was debating on smashing his head in with the can he had been holding.

Karkat shifted next to Dave, eyes opening blearily. Dave smiled at him, letting his eyes move just a bit. He didn’t wear his shades as much around Karkat anymore, though it was still about 99.9 percent of the time. For sleep though he always took them off, and at least let Karkat see them when he first woke up and when they went to bed.

“Morning babe.”

“Why do you insist on calling me one of your human wrigglers?” Karkat growled, pressing his face against Dave’s chest. Dave laughed low and rubbed Karkat’s head with the hand wrapped around his shoulders. One of Karkat’s horns pressed into the fading scar on his shoulder. It would never fully disappear, none of the scars would, but none would ever be as pronounced as they would have been had Dave not reached god tier. Dave always wondered why Gamzee’s had stayed so well while the others were just thicker areas of skin and fine lines. He sometimes wondered if those nights Gamzee had come in to watch him sleep he hadn’t made sure to deepen the mark a little. Would have made sense with the dreams Dave had had those nights.

“Better than calling you Angel isn’t it?” Dave asked, other hand going to press gently against the marks on Karkat’s upper back. Where they hit near his shoulder blades made Dave think slightly of wings.

“You call me that again and I am not going to kiss you for a wee-” Karkat started but Dave’s mouth was already down and pressing against Karkat’s, lips quirked up in a smirk. The hand not trapped under Karkat slid down his side, squeezing Karkat’s ass through his boxers. God was Dave in love with that ass. Karkat moaned into his mouth as he massaged his backside through the cloth.

“When you finally let me fuck you I am going to bend you over this fucking bed and play with your ass the entire time.” Dave said against Karkat’s mouth, getting a moan and fisted hand against his chest. He could feel the press of Karkat’s bugle through his underwear against his leg, and not for the first time wished Karkat would just let him touch it already. Already knowing he was pushing his luck, but never one to pass up an opportunity, his hand slowly shifted from Karkat’s ass to his front. Gently he pressed against the bugle that was straining against the cloth, felt it twitching and attempting to wrap around his fingers. He got away with massaging it for a few moments before Karkat pulled away.

“Stop that you bulge sucker we need to get ready.” Karkat said breathily.

“You know, we could make that statement true if you would just let me get these off of you.” Dave pulled at the top of Karkat’s boxers.

“Fuck you Strider.”

“Where and when babe?” He couldn’t help but laugh when Karkat went red, and kept laughing as the pillow came down on his head, Karkat releasing a rain of feathers over them as he swore continuously at Dave. Dave was a little put out when Karkat got off the bed a moment later, pillow shredded, and watched the way the boxers, which oddly enough didn’t have a hole in the front, slid low on Karkat’s hips. Dave fought a hard battle with his libido to follow Karkat into the shower, but in the end his self control won out, even when he heard the slightest breathy moan of his name under the sound of water.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoy, new warning for the introduction of some sadstuck elements. Also, tried to get all my grammar errors, but as always they may pop up now and again.

Dave leaned against the wall, back pressing into the stone of the asteroid. Rose stood next to Kanaya, their hands just barely touching as they stood side by side. Terezi sat a short distance from them, the mayor sitting next to her while Karkat did his best to lean next to and not on Dave. His attempt was failing. Taking his arm Dave wrapped it around Karkat’s shoulder, making him jump, but in a moment he had leaned in against him fully as Rose fiddled with her skirt, making sure to have her hand bump Kayana’s till she was ready to speak.

“I know we have been planning for a long time,” Rose said simply, looking at the small gathering. “And while we know what to expect when we get to the new session in terms of how to enter, we know very little on what to expect once inside. We believe we have met some of the players in the dream bubbles, but until fully immersed we won’t know for sure.” Dave did his best not to tense at that, still feeling a bit shocked at the boy he had seen while there. He had looked so much like Bro, and from what Rose could tell the girl they had seen was in some strange way their ‘mother’ or relative of some sort. She said it had been hard to get a fix on any of them though do to what she called black spots. “Now comes the part that I haven’t talked to you about, and the reason is that I do not know what to say.” Dave felt his hand instinctively tightened around Karkat’s as he saw Rose’s tighten over Kanaya’s. “Until we enter there is nothing I can see. All I can get is black.” Rose said softly. Dave swallowed at that, doing his best not to let Karkat feel it. They all stood in silence.

“So we’re going in blind?” Terezi asked from her spot finally, and though she looked like she was trying to grin there was no humor in her voice.

“In a sense yes.” Rose confirmed. “The best I can tell you is that we have stuck to the alpha timeline, that we will be able to enter, and that we will have our chance. From there though... from there I can see nothing. I don’t know if it has to do with the game having a void player, or if it is because it is not our session. With luck I will be able to see clearly when we enter fully...but until then we will not know for sure.” Rose leaned heavily against Kanaya, and the hand that held hers went about Rose’s shoulder.

“So you really have no idea what could happen in there?” Karkat deadpanned, and Dave felt a hand ball against his leg. Rose bit her lip and looked at Kanaya. The troll nodded and Rose let out a deep breath.

“I see the most basic of timelines. And when it comes down to it at this point in time there are two. One that is purely black, and one with a single glint. In one we all die and lose, the other we win, but at a cost.” Kanaya’s arm around Rose’s shoulder tightened as Rose seemed to deflate. Dave didn’t want to hear this part, because he was pretty damn sure he knew what she was going to say. “Someone will die, if not multiple, to allow the rest to win.” She finally said, trembling.

Karkat’s hand tightened over Dave’s, the mayor patted Terezi gently on the back, and Kanaya held Rose as she trembled against her.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier, but I thought...maybe the closer we got the easier it would be to see,” Rose did her best to lift her head and look at them as Kanaya wrapped her in the simplest of hugs, a simple wrap of arms around her waist as she stood behind her. “And for a while I was right. As more and more timelines disappeared these two became clearer. I just thought they were muddled, but when I realized the blackness was solid I knew I would have to tell you.”

“So you waited till now?” Karkat snapped suddenly. Dave looked down at him, Rose turned to him, and Terezi gazed in his general direction.

“I didn’t want to alarm anyo-”

“Alarm anyone!” Karkat interrupted, stepping away from Dave. For a moment Dave tried to pull him back, but in one of the few shows of trollian strength Karkat pulled away fully. “You should have told us sooner! Given us time to prepare! And now we have a week to say our maybe final fucking goodbyes? Let me guess, you and Kanaya already gave yours. Probably said everything you could think to say huh?” Karkat was trembling.

“Please Karkat. There is more to it than just that.” Kanaya began, voice quiet but stern. “Rose was bound by where the timeline might go-”

“Oh fuck the timelines!” Karkat cried out, and Terezi even winced at the rawness of it. “Fuck the time lines, fuck this game, and fuck you! I did not come all this way to lose more people I care about, no matter who they may be!” Then Karkat turned, heading for the door when he stopped suddenly and turned back around. “Kanaya,” he said evenly. “Show me your wrist.” Dave raised an eyebrow and looked between the trolls. Kanaya had gone stalk still, Terezi looked like she was frozen, and Rose was caught between being pale and blushing.

“Karkat, I don’t believe there is any need-”

“SHOW ME YOUR FUCKING WRIST!” Karkat bellowed and lunged, Dave was faster though. He grabbed Karkat around the waist, holding him as he tried to struggle.

“Babe, babe calm down.” Dave grunted as he got an elbow to the ribs. Slowly Karkat did so, though he was making a horribly gasping noise in the back of his throat.

“How long,” He asked, tugging at Dave’s hands. “How fucking long.” Dave was surprised when Kanaya dropped her eyes.

“Half a sweep.” She finally said. Karkat went limp, Terezi looked in the general direction of away, and Rose looked at Dave with wetness in her eyes.

“And let me guess, that was when Rose first started to figure all this bullshit out huh? When she realized someones time was going to be fucking up when we reach the new session. Do not pass through the shiny green door, do not collect your pulsating sack of vomit universe, thanks for playing, now go rot in a dream bubble!” Karkat gnashed his teeth at her and Dave was surprised to see tears on his face.

“Karkat come on. Why are you-”

“SHUT UP DAVE!” And Dave physically jerked when he saw the amount of raw emotion in Karkat’s eyes. Raw and painful, red tinging his cheeks as he tore Dave’s arms off of him and took a few halting steps towards Terezi. “And you, you nook rotting bitch,” Dave let out a hey of disapproval that Karkat fully ignored. “Let me guess. You were their witness. So tell me, what does red and green smell like when it’s mixed together? Did it smell good? And when were you going to tell the rest of us you and Kanaya had gone fully pale!” Terezi turned to look at Karkat.

“You don’t have to be filling a quadrant to be a witness Karkat. You know that,” Terezi said defiantly.

“Oh, right, excuse me miss ‘I don’t give a god damn fuck about my quadrants’. Then tell me why the rest of us weren’t privy to this information!” Dave tried to put his hands on Karkat’s heaving shoulders, but they were quickly shaken off.

“Its up to them to tell who they want. I was just a witness, not my place to spread shit around. Breaking a promise is almost as bad as breaking the law.” Her voice was even, shoulders square, and in no way did she look guilty. Karkat made a few more angry noises, hands scratching at his skull. Once again Dave tried to touch him.

“Babe?” Then Karkat was running out of the room and down the nearest hall. Dave stood still, hands slightly raised. The fuck had just happened? Then came the slight sob. It was barely there, and when Dave turned back he found Rose with a sheen to her eyes as she attempted to stand straight, to keep her chin up. “Okay, the fuck just happened?” Dave asked, looking at everyone. Rose went to speak, but Kanaya stopped her.

“If you do not know, then Karkat would be the best to talk to about this.” The troll put simply, though there was regret in her voice.

“Terezi?” Dave asked, and she shrugged.

“I have to agree with Kanaya Dave. This is more something you two need to talk about, don’t want to be giving you any spoilers without Karkat’s permission.” She said, and there was no humor in her voice, just a bland seriousness that only came when certain topics of her past were broached and quickly dismissed. Dave looked between all of them, even the mayor who just shrugged at him.

“Fine.” Dave spat, feeling like he was being left out of some enormously important loop. A loop that was going to choke him like one of Terezi’s scalemates. His godtier cape spun with him as he went after Karkat.

“I should have told them,” he heard Rose say, voice slightly breaking. Kanaya’s shooshing was barely heard as he stepped on the transportation pad that would take him after his matesprit.

\-----

Dave had been surprised to find Karkat in his room on the bed they had left only a few hours prior. He still had angry tears on his face, though they were far and few between, his hair looked like he had been tearing at it, and the way his lips actually were trembling made Dave’s heart drop. Quietly he shut his door and walked to the bed. Karkat said nothing as he sat next to him, shoulders and knees barely touching. They sat in silence for less than a minute before Dave felt compelled to speak. Karkat, though he usually wouldn’t shut up, could spend hours silent when something was truly bothering him. Gamzee had made that clear enough over the past few weeks.

“Something you need to tell me?” Dave asked, and Karkat sighed, eyes closing as he leaned against Dave. Karkat took a few deep breaths, and Dave’s hand came up to run through his hair. What had gotten into Karkat? And why had this wrist shit come up again? Since the first time Karkat had touched his wrist Dave had been able to get little to nothing out of him, only learning it was apart of some sort of red quadrant romance shit. Besides that, Karkat had completely clammed up.

“A lot now actually,” He grumbled, hands scrubbing over his face, removing the tear tracks. “I thought we would have more time. Settle into the new game, but fuck that idea up the waste chute with one of your shitty swords.” Karkat sneered.

“Well I’m sitting right here,” Dave said, hand sliding out to settle on Karkat’s thigh. He felt the flesh beneath his hand twitch and bunch for a moment before relaxing.

“I know...it’s just... fuck my mouth for never knowing how to say the crap I need to say and instead spraying all this fucking bullshit!”Karkat cried out and stood, Dave’s hand dropping to the bed as Karkat went to his usual rut in the floor. Karkat paced whenever he needed to think hard, and apparently whatever had happened had him thinking very hard.

“Well how about you just tell me why you’re so pissed at the girls.” His voice was quiet as he watched Karkat move, and Dave wasn’t surprised when Karkat’s pace picked up.

“Why am I pissed?” He asked, not looking at Dave but at the floor. “I’m not fucking pissed. I am about as close to raging as Gamzee is when he sees you! You have no idea what’s going on with your ‘ecto sister’ or anything. You should be just as pissed as I am, seeing as you at least made it clear to everyone that you had taken on a Kismesis and matesprit!” Dave blinked behind his shades at the outburst.

“Well no shit Rose and Kanaya are red, that’s more apparent than your blood being red.” Dave said, and Karkat just shot him a glare.

“Well no shit their red dumbass,” Karkat growled. “But like with you and Gamzee they made it fucking official. Full on marking and everything most likely since Kanaya wouldn’t let me see her fucking wrist. Or as official as they can make it without a god damn sun to burn the proof into their skin!” Karkat finally stopped moving and looked right at him. “In other words, just like how you say you and Gamzee are ‘hate married’, well guess what they are.” There was a small beat of silence.

“You’re fucking kidding me.” Dave whispered, and now he did feel somewhat betrayed. “They went and got what, red married without telling anyone?”

“Wrong. They went and got red married without telling US. Terezi was their fucking witness, or as much of one as she can be seeing as she couldn’t actually fucking see it.” Karkat snapped, and that just added in the ‘out of the noose’ feeling that Dave was having. So all the girls knew. Well wasn’t that just fucking perfect. What were the rest of them? His hands fisted as he felt his own sense of anger surging through him. How many times had he and Terezi talked in the last year? Hundreds, thousands of times? And she never even mentioned it. Hadn’t even sneaked in a sideways laugh about Rose and Kanaya being in it for the long haul.

“Exactly,” And Dave looked up, unsure what Karkat was saying ‘exactly’ about, at least until he actually felt the frown on his face. He really was letting Karkat see more and more of him, and as he fought to keep showing natural feeling, his old need to hide from everyone tried to force its way. Hiding from Karkat wasn’t really something he wanted to do anymore, even if his body tried to do it for him all the time. “So now you get why I want to go tear out someone’s waste chute and feed it to them.” And Karkat’s hands finally dropped, and Dave could practically see how Karkat turned his anger into an boiling heat beneath his flesh. “I mean yeah it’s their fucking choice, but to keep it from us for this long? Its just...”

“Its bullshit.” Dave finished for him.

“Yeah.” Karkat said and sighed, hands following a familiar path through his hair as Dave held out an arm. Karkat walked over, took a hold of it, and instead of sitting next to him climbed into Dave’s lap. Dave shifted just a bit to allow Karkat full access, putting his arms around the troll. “And now I have less than a week with you before all this bull shit hits the fan,” Karkat said in a growling whisper. “Less than a week and we’ve been red less than one of your human months.” Dave rubbed gentle circles over Karkat’s back as he spoke.

“Less than week to do what?” Dave asked, doing his best to separate his anger at Rose from what was going on with Karkat. He could talk to Rose later, right now he needed to listen.

“For me to explain all the bullshit and wonder that is the matesprit marking.” Karkat responded, hands moving in a small fanning motion while still trapped in Dave’s arms, voice both sarcastic and tired. Dave said nothing, just kept listening, waiting for Karkat to continue. It took him a few moments to start again, leg bouncing on Dave’s as he chewed on his lip. “The marking is pretty much the opposite of the kismesis mark. Does the same thing essentially, telling others to back the fuck off because you have a filled red quadrant and now you do not need anyone else.” Dave nodded, shifting again and getting a little annoyed sound from Karkat. As much as he loved having a lap full of troll, Karkat was still a pretty decent weight.

“Sorry Babe, but if this is going to take a little while I think we should get comfortable.” Dave said and kissed the side of Karkat’s head, doing his best not to kiss the horn like he wanted. Karkat sighed, grumbled something about Dave being an insufferable prick, and then moved to sit against the head of the bed, shoes kicked off onto the floor. Dave removed his own shoes, and his cape, before going to sit next to him. As much as he liked his cape, it could get in the way during any sort of snuggle time. After the amount of sudden emotional shit, he was pretty sure this was going to be a snuggle moment.

Wrapping his arm around Karkat’s shoulder he let a small smile slip as Karkat pressed his face into Dave’s shoulder, breathing deep. Two arms wrapped around Dave’s middle as Karkat breathed against his shoulder for a minute, finally turning so he could look into the room. Dave took off his glasses. The movement made Karkat stiffen for a moment as Dave leaned over him to set them on the side table, then relaxed fully when Dave leaned back.

“So,” Dave said, pulling a sigh from Karkat. “A mark that claims you as someone’s red, got it. So how is it done, since I am guessing its a bit more tame than the shit that went down with Gamzee.”

“Right, fuck...um...” Karkat looked around the room before looking up at Dave and back down. “I thought I would have more time to explain this to you but here it goes. Crash course in red romance 101. Listen hard because I think I only have it in me to explain this once or my think pan will explode from utter embarrassment.” Dave just rubbed a hand over Karkat’s back and watched as his face grew red.

“Alright, so first things first,” Moving the hand that was wrapped around Dave’s front he took one of Dave’s hands, exposing the wrist. “Unlike the kismesis mark there is a designated spot for matesprit marks. Here,” Karkat ran his thumb over Dave’s pulse point. “It’s where it’s easiest to tear out a vein or artery that isn’t the neck, because fuck all no troll will ever expose their neck to another troll if they can help it.”

“Well you sure like it when I nibble on yours,” Dave said with a slight grin.

“Yeah well,” Karkat mumbled with a blush. “There are exceptions, but very few trolls will ever show their throats like I do with you to anyone but their matesprit. Its the kill zone. But its too risky a place to leave the mark, so, it was designated as the wrist.” Karkat continued to massage Dave’s pulsepoint, pressing into the flesh and making Dave close his eyes a bit. He had come to like the way it felt, having those sharp claws so close to his skin, just pressing. “When a troll makes the mark it’s to show they are in it till death, that they are willing to go through pain and willing to suffer for their matesprit.” Karkat was trembling a bit.

“So what’s the mark?” Dave asked. Karkat began to tremble even more, and in a few moments Dave found his wrist being brought to Karkat’s mouth. He almost jerked back when Karkat opened his mouth and pressed teeth to flesh, but he didn’t break skin. Just pushed indents into Dave’s flesh and pulled back. “That,” Karkat said a little breathily as Dave looked at the almost circle around his pulse. “But with a hell of a lot more blood and the two trolls would do it to each other. One bite each to prove that they won’t kill each other, one gulp of each other blood as a promise that they will never drain each other dry, and the whole thing is done under the rays of the fucking sun so that when the marks are pushed together their blood colors are burned into the other's flesh.” Karkat licked his lips. “Its more common to do than a kismesis mark, but lots of trolls won’t do the full thing, too afraid to go out during the day and face the sun.”

“Terezi told me your sun was a bitch. Whole reason your culture was nocturnal. Was it really that bad?” Dave asked, though from the look Karkat gave him he could already gather, yes. It was that bad.

“Trolls died from our sun Dave,” Karkat said blandly. “Terezi was lucky she had tree’s around her hive or she could have been dead in minutes. Its one of the reasons not all trolls went through with the full ritual. They could die from exposure if they didn’t get done quick enough. That and there were the beasts that could kill you during the ritual.” Karkat shuddered. “It was because of that, and for confirmation that they would have a witness.”

“The part Terezi played.” Dave inserted.

“Yes the part Terzi fucking played now shut your wind hole or I will do it for you.” Karkat snapped.

“Not making me want to stop talking.” Dave said with a smirk.

“Dave.” Karkat said in warning. In response Dave pinched two fingers together, drew them over his lips, and made a locking motion. Karkat huffed but continued. “The witness had a couple of jobs during the ceremony. For one thing they were to make sure that what was happening was fully consensual. No witness, then it didn’t really happened, even if they did have each others blood tattooed on their wrists and were covered in scabs. Second part was so there would be someone there to try and defend them, both from the fucktakular beasts that were around or from any toll who might have a grudge.” Karkat shifted closer to Dave as he said it. “Usually there was only one, a moirail of one of the two, but sometimes there could be two. Never more than that though. Even if the witness was the moirail of one of the trolls there was still a chance they could have grudge against the second. Usually their moirial was enough to stop any bad blood between the two, but not always.” Karkat rubbed at Dave’s marked wrist, massaging the indents away. “Sometimes the couples were killed because the moirail wouldn’t be able to stand the heat and light, even though they were allowed to be fully clothed and shit.” Dave opened his mouth to which Karkat glared. He shut it quickly. “I’ll get to that here in a second asshole now let me finish.” Dave nodded. “But if the witness was killed before the ceremony was finished it was void. They could also leave the couple to die, which would be a huge jackass move and would usually lead to them getting culled if it could be proven, or they could be killed defending them from beasts or other trolls. No matter what, if your witness died, then there was no way to make it official, and whoever lost the moirail was usually a grub-sniffling wreck afterwards.” Karkat shifted closer against Dave, pressing his face against Dave with a sigh as he tried to press even more fully against him. “So there’s all that bull shit. Questions so far?”

“Yeah, what was that about clothes?” Dave asked with a smile. Karkat sighed.

“Of course you would fixate on that,” Karkat mumbled. “Alright, so when they go to do the ritual there is little to no clothing present on the two. The witness can wear as much as they want to keep themselves from getting burned, but the sun can be pretty damn hot for trolls who lived on the plains or desert, so they could overheat. But the ceremony was done to show your matesprit you would do anything for them. So, it was done usually in the nude, or maybe some shorts, and you could tell when trolls had done it because they were nothing but a giant scab from all the burns and shit afterwards.”

“Is anything you guys do not life threatening?” Dave finally asked to which he only got a sigh.

“No Dave, and if you hadn’t already figured out that fucking detail then you’re even more of an idiot than I thought you were.” Karkat said tiredly.

“Yeah but I’m your idiot.” Dave nipped at Karkat’s horns, making the troll shudder a bit.

“Stop that.”

“So does anything else need to be done to make it fully official and shit? Like declaring every lasting love or pity or whatever. You know, since with a kismesis you have to state how much you hate them.”Dave asked, pulling away from Karkat’s horns. Karkat just looked away.

“There’s a poem.” He said.

“Oh really now.” Dave said with a grin. “Mind sharing with the class?”

“Yes.” Karkat snapped. “If you don’t mind I think I have embarrassed myself enough today.” Dave did his best not to laugh, instead went to nip at Karkat’s horns again.

“And how was that embarrassing?” Dave asked getting a half hearted growl out of Karkat as he nibbled on his horn tip.

“Because,” Karkat said and shifted as Dave continued to bite and lick the bone smooth horns. “Because its what I want with my matesprit.” Dave froze. “And as of right now I don’t even know if you’re going to want to stay with me after all this bullshit is over.” Dave pulled back, Karkat not looking at him.

“Oh,” he said softly.

“Yeah.” Karkat replied. They sat in silence for a little bit longer.

“Well,” Dave finally said pulling back a bit so that he could look down at Karkat better. “Is that what you want?” Karkat glanced up and back down.

“I have a fucking week to figure that out.” Karkat muttered in response. For some reason that made Dave’s heart jerk. Then of course they had only been red for a short time, and Karkat wasn’t really one to just jump into life changing shit, but it made Dave feel odd. Almost disappointed.

“Well,” Dave said, leaning back down to kiss Karkat’s mouth, making the troll shiver a bit. “Lets see if I can help you figure it out.” He muttered against black lips. Karkat made a strange sound in the back of his throat before his mouth was crushing Dave’s, hands gripping his sides. Dave opened his mouth and let Karkat’s tongue in, his own flicking against the longer. Karkat moaned slightly, pulled back, and Dave found his lap once again filled with Karkat straddling his thighs. Clawed hands slid into his hair as Karkat searched his face.

“What you looking for?” Dave asked, voice low. Karkat said nothing, just leaned in to kiss Dave while his body ground forwards. Dave moaned as he felt Karkat’s bulge strain, wiggle, and press against his hardening cock. When Karkat pulled back Dave did his best not to pant.

“Ready for me Babe?” He asked, eyes half lidded as his hands tugged at the belt loops of Karkat’s pants

“Shut up you bulge licker.” Was his reply, Karkat’s face red.

“Only if you’ll let me.” Dave said, voice low. Karkat nibbled his lip as Dave tugged at his pants again.

Karkat nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah...you can guess what is coming in the next part.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, sorry for any grammar mistakes. Please enjoy.

If there was one thing about Karkat that Dave couldn’t get enough of it was the feeling of his skin, and when Karkat nodded at him, bottom lip being worried between his teeth, Dave’s hands shot up under the fabric of Karkat’s sweater and spread. Karkat made a little sound in his throat as Dave’s hands slid up his sides, a sound that Dave enjoyed very much. They ran over where a human’s nipples would be, over the perfectly smooth surface of flesh that was Karkat’s chest. It made Karkat shudder, his hands gripping at Dave’s shoulders as he did so.

“I want this off,” Dave said, hands sliding back down to tug at the bottom of Karkat’s clothing. Karkat’s hands were off Dave in a second, pulling the shirt up over his head in a practiced move that cleared his small horns. Dave made a hungry noise in his throat before wrapping his hands around Karkat’s shoulders and pulling him down for a kiss. Karkat’s hips bucked forwards as he moaned into Dave’s mouth. “Oh fuck,” Dave groaned as he felt Karkat twitching in his pants, pressing against his crotch. Karkat just moaned as Dave ran his hands over his back, rubbing at the indented places of his grub scars and making Karkat moan even more.

It wasn’t the first time Dave had gotten Karkat’s shirt off, had felt that flesh. It was warm beneath his hands, felt soft and pliable beneath his fingertips despite its thickness. He pressed against the residual bones of Karkat’s grub legs, making Karkat give a little trill as Dave followed the thin bones from spine to grub scar. Karkat bucked again and let out another soft mewl. It was amazing where Dave found the sensitive places on Karkat and how he was learning to use them. Dave bit at Karkat’s lips, not hard like he would with Gamzee, but hard enough for Karkat to really feel them.

Clawed hands scrambled over Dave’s shoulders as Dave dipped his hands down to slip into Karkat’s pants, rubbing over the top of his ass. He let out another strange, deep trill before pulling back, panting.

“You too,” He said breathily, grabbing at Dave’s shirt, pulling it upwards. Dave didn’t say anything, just leaned away from the wall, into Karkat, and pulled his shirt up. Karkat helped him, putting a few holes into the cloth that Dave knew would disappear eventually. They always did with his god tier clothes. As soon as it was off Karkat had his mouth on his neck, his shoulders, biting and nipping while Dave’s hands went straight back to the trolls ass. Karkat moaned against Dave neck.

“Going to finally let me see this pretty ass of yours?” Dave asked, squeezing again and got another low moan. “Let me finally feel it without all this damn cloth.” Karkat made another trilling noise and nodded against Dave’s throat. “So compliant when you let me put my hands on you.” Dave growled and nipped against Karkat throat.

“Shut up Dave,” Karkat muttered and pulled back, walking backwards on his knees for a moment. He grabbed at Dave’s hips and tugged.

“So demanding,” Dave said with a smile but did as he Karkat demanded, sliding down the bed with Karkat still straddling him.

“I said shut up Dave,” and Karkat’s mouth was back on his, crushing it as Karkat’s hips ground downwards. Dave did the opposite of shut up. Instead he moaned low and bucked upwards.

“Fuck babe, you do shit like that and there is no way I’m staying quiet.” Dave said when Karkat pulled back, trailing kisses down Dave’s throat and lower.

“I said shut up, not be quiet dumb ass,” Karkat growled against Dave’s flesh, tongue darting out to lick against one of Dave’s nipples. Dave let out a low groan as Karkat ran his tongue and teeth over the sensitive flesh, one clawed hand going to the other circle of skin. Dave let out even more noises as his hands went to Karkat’s hips, pulling the troll’s lower body down to grind against his as Karkat licked and nipped. “Now who’s compliant?” Karkat asked, taking a nipple between his teeth and sucking hard. Dave arched and dug his hands into Karkat’s hips before rolling them. The troll let out a little sound of surprise as he was suddenly on his back with Dave lying between his legs.

“For fuck sake Dave why did uhnnnn-” Karkat arched a bit as Dave kissed down his chest, fingers pressing against Karkat’s sides as his hands went over his belly, fingers spreading out slowly. Karkat let out a noise that was similar to a laugh, but more a stuttering purr. “God I hate it when you do that,” He groaned breathily as Dave licked over muscle and traced patterns into Karkat’s flesh.

“I’ll believe that when you stop moaning.” He traced even more patterns and pulled back, looking down at Karkat’s skin. He ran his hands over Karkat’s stomach and chest, looking at the contrast between their skin colors, the way he could see the other’s flesh and muscle bunch at his gentle touches. “God you’re beautiful,” he said softly. Karkat let out a little noise as his hands came up to cover his face.

“Shut up, Dave,” Karkat groaned.

“Just telling you the truth,” Dave replied, going back to kiss at Karkat’s chest and stomach, hands dipping into the waistband of Karkat’s pants.

“You’re an idiot,” Karkat murmured through his fingers.

“And you’re hot.” Dave said back, kissing over the expanse of Karkat’s stomach, tongue darting out over his belly. Karkat let out a little moan as Dave’s tongue traced along the band of his pants. He bucked as Dave nibbled and licked, fingers going to undo Karkat’s fly. It didn’t take long to get it undone, but as he began to slide it down he felt Karkat physically freeze up. Pulling up he looked at Karkat who still had his face covered.

“You sure you want to do this Karkat?” No pet names, no jokes, just playing it straight. Dave wasn’t going to lie and say he didn’t want to fuck the troll till he was singing fucking ‘Happy Days’, but he wasn’t going to do it unless Karkat was absolutely sure about it. Time constriction or not, he wasn’t going to press this. He could be a douche at times, but this was one thing he wasn’t going to push at if Karkat wasn’t ready. Karkat took a few deep breaths before finally pulling his hands away.

“Yeah just...still have it in my fucking think pan that if anyone sees my blood color they're going to freak.” Karkat responded, hands going to his sides. Dave watched him swallow hard.

“You positive?” And Dave leaned up to rest his chin on Karkat’s chest, hands going to warp around his upper body as much as he could. Karkat looked at the ceiling, then down at him, then up at the ceiling again. Dave could feel Karkat’s bulge barely twitch against his stomach.

“Come here,” Karkat said softly, hands tugging at Dave’s shoulders. Dave complied, lifting himself up, elbows going to either side of Karkat’s head. “This is my first time doing...well fucking doing any of this. I’ve never shown anyone any parts of my anatomy that you are about to see except Gamzee, and that was because I’ve had to fucking bathe that bastard. Do you have any idea where that bulgelicker has gotten his paint before?”

“Nope,” Dave said and leaned down to kiss Karkat before he went on a tirade. “And I don’t really want to think about him right now babe, just want to look at you and make you feel good.” Karkat took a deep breath and nodded.

“Alright, just go slow okay? Think you can do slow, Strider?” Dave leaned down and kissed him with a quick peck.

“I can do whatever you want Angel.” He said with a smirk.

“Don’t call me angel.” Karkat growled, but Dave was already moving back down Karkat’s body, leaving little kisses that made Karkat unwind with each press of his mouth. This time when Dave’s hands pulled at Karkat’s pants the troll lifted his hips, letting Dave pull them down. He did his best not to take the boxers down with them, and ended up failing horribly. “Just get it all off,” Karkat said above him as Dave attempted to slid them back over the bit of bulge he had revealed.

“As you wish,” Dave said, and with a little more finesse pulled Karkat’s pants down and off along with his boxers. Karkat’s knees sprang up automatically, making Dave jerk back.

“Sorry,” Karkat said, and Dave heard him take a few deep breaths as he laid his legs down.

“No worries babe,” and his voice was soft as Dave rubbed his hands over grey legs. It was amazing how the trolls didn’t have any hair except what was on their heads. He rubbed at Karkat’s calves as they slid down. Dave was still only human though, and he couldn’t help but look at the slight amount of bulge that was still unsheathed. It made Dave want nothing more than the start sucking him off then and there, coax it out with his tongue and show him that his blood red color did nothing to deter him.

“You can touch me already,” Karkat muttered, and Dave looked up to see Karkat’s eyes watching him, a heavy blush on his face. Dave grinned, dipped his head down to kiss Karkat’s thigh, and felt the muscle bunch. When he looked up he actually saw the way the bone sheath over Karkat’s bulge moved. It slid up in two directions, splitting up to let more of the bulge out, his nook already fully showing.

“Fucking gorgeous,” Dave said as he watched the way the bone slid out of view fully at his words. Dave’s hand came up and wrapped his fingers around the twitching bulge, and didn’t expect the way that it almost immediately made them tingle. It made him think of what Gamzee’s bulge did to him, but Karkat’s did it so much...quicker. Karkat let out a deep moan as Dave twined his fingers around his bulge, sliding his palm over it and stroking Karkat with slow pulls, squeezing the base as the rest wrapped around his wrist. Everywhere it touched it felt like his skin was on fire with pleasure. “Holy hell,” Dave said a little breathily.

“W-what?” Karkat asked as Dave used his free hand to spread Karkat’s legs apart farther until he could fully kneel between them.

“I don’t know what it is about trolls,” Dave said softly, his cock twitching in his pants. Already he knew he was in trouble. The fire on his wrist made the one in his loins grow rapidly. If Karkat’s bulge did anything like what Gamzee’s did, he was going to have one hell of a night. “But you guys have one hell of an affect on us.”

“What are you talking aboooooh fuck.” Karkat cried in a high whine as Dave lowered his head, taking the tip of Karkat’s bulge in his mouth. Dave let out his own sound as he tasted Karkat for the first time. It was sweet, salty, with the barest hint of something savory like meat and copper underneath. His first instinct was to take it deeper into his mouth, and that was what he did.

“Fffffuck Dave,” Karkat said through clenched teeth as he bucked up. Dave’s mouth felt like it was filling with fire as Karkat’s bulge slid in. It wasn’t as thick as Gamzee’s, or as long, but damn if it wasn’t still big compared to a human cock. That didn’t stop Dave from letting it slide deep in his throat. It followed the curve of his throat, sinking deep as his tongue pressed up against it, swallowing around Karkat’s bulge. The natural lubricants filled his mouth, the flavor and feel going straight to his cock, setting his insides on fire as he swallowed it down. The bugle in his mouth thrashed, Karkat’s hands curling in Dave’s hair as he moaned obscenely. “Oh fuck Dave, I said, I said slow. Oh fuck,” Karkat said between pants and cries. Dave didn’t hear them, his mind already being overtaken by the pure lust that Karkat’s body stirred in him. “O-off,” and the word didn’t register until Karkat was forcibly pulling Dave up and off of him. His mouth came off with a slick pop, eyes unfocused as he looked at Karkat.

“Taintfucking christ Dave I said stop,” Karkat panted. Dave swallowed, felt more heat in his belly and blinked. Fuck, that was not what he had been expecting. Karkat was so much more...potent.

“I’m sorry,” he said breathily, feeling the thickness in his throat as he wiped his hand on the blankets so he wouldn’t put it in his mouth.

“Are you okay?” And Karkat’s breathing was slowly going back to normal.

“Yeah you just, fucking christ do you taste good.” Dave said with a smile, and felt a small amount of Karkat’s juices slide down his chin. Karkat turned red and sat up fully. His hands went to Dave’s pants, pressing against the very noticeable hardness that was there. Dave let out a slight moan and bucked. Fuck was he turned on, and it was making his brain more than a little fuzzy.

“Well pants off fuck ass it’s about time I saw what you had in there,” Karkat said, hands shaking as they slid the pants off Dave’s hips. Dave let out a breathy little moan as the cloth slid over him, both his pants and boxers sliding to pool around his knees. Dave watched Karkat through half lidded eyes, loving the way Karkat’s eyes went wide as he touched Dave for the first time. Dave moaned low as his cock throbbed between Karkat’s fingers, his eyes rolling back in his head as he bucked.

“Lay down,” Karkat said breathily. Dave could do nothing more than comply as one of those clawed hands pushed him down. In a few seconds Dave was on his back, pants now missing, as he looked down his body at Karkat who was now laying between his legs. “Well fuck,” he heard softly as Karkat shifted nervously between his thighs, the hand on his cock stilling. “Just, just tell me if you don’t like it okay.” And Dave could do nothing more than nod as Karkat leaned down and flicked the tip of his tongue over Dave’s cock. Dave arched hard and moaned low. Karkat did it again a few more times till he finally sucked the tip of Dave's cock into his mouth. He hissed a little, feeling the points of teeth on his dick.

“Teeth,” he hissed out and Karkat’s head pulled back quickly.

“Fuck, sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Dave said, “Just, like you said, take it slow.”

“Yeah...right,” And Dave watched as Karkat lowered his head again, long tongue coming out to lap and wrap around the head of his cock. Dave moaned again, and this time when Karkat lowered his head there was only the barest hinting of teeth. It only lasted for a moment though as Karkat opened his mouth wide and took all of Dave down.

“Don’t chooo fuck. Yes, that, yes.” Dave said as Karkat swallowed around him, mimicking what he had done. Both of Dave’s hands came up and wrapped in his hair, rubbing at Karkat’s horns and getting a moan around his cock. With the pent up heat in his belly, and the way Karkat was moving his tongue Dave found he was heading for the edge embarrassingly fast, but with the drug that was Karkat himself he could care less. “C-careful, gonna, hnnn, gonna,” He bucked up and pulled Karkat’s head up at the same time, trying to get him to pull off. Apparently Karkat had other ideas as he pressed all the way down, nose pressing to Dave’s pubes. “Oh.” Dave gasped before he came. He could feel Karkat swallow around him, gag a bit, and then pull off. Dave let out a low moan when the cool air hit the skin of his cock.

“Damn you taste salty,” Karkat said and wiped a hand over his mouth.

“Hey, only human.” Dave replied lazily. He looked down at Karkat who was studying his now half hard cock. The burning was still in his system, but apparently ingested didn’t do as much as skin to skin.

“Does it always do that?” Karkat asked, ghosting a hand over Dave’s cock.

“After that yeah.” Dave said sitting up.

“After what?” Karkat questioned, eyebrow raised.

“Cumming, what did you think I was doing?” Dave asked, looking away to rub at his head. Now that the high of orgasm was disappearing he felt a little embarrassed. He had never shot a load that fast before.

“I-I don’t know. I thought you were fucking re-lubricating or something. I mean you were so dry and...and wait that’s all the genetic material you produce?” The confused look he gave Dave made him laugh.

“Yeah Karkat, that’s it.” Dave said and looked back at him and leaned forwards to press his mouth to Karkat’s. His tongue darted into Karkat’s mouth, tasting himself and allowing Karkat to taste what was left on Dave’s tongue. They both let out a little moan. When he pulled back Karkat was blushing.

“Does it really take that little time?” He asked, looking away from Dave.

“Only with you. I don’t think you realize just what your cum does to me,” Dave said and blushed slightly. “I just didn’t think you would effect me quite that...much. But that doesn’t mean I’m done,” he added quickly hands sliding to grab Karkat’s hips and pull them flush with his. Karkat’s bulge was up and around his cock in a second, and barely a moment later Dave was hard again, hissing from the almost painful surge of pleasure. “See.”

“Holy shit,” Karkat whispered, voice high as he leaned his head against Dave’s shoulder. “T-that feels...its so warm.” Dave chuckled and bucked, doing his best not to do too much. Already he could feel pleasure curling through his lower body, the same as it was with Gamzee, just a little faster. Karkat made a breathy moan, bulge sliding around Dave’s cock and squeezing. With gritted teeth Dave pulled back.

“Hold on, don’t need me getting too close to the edge so soon.” Karkat made a little sound in his throat as his bulge reluctantly pulled away. “One sec babe,” Dave leaned in and pecked Karkat who tried to pull him close again only for Dave to flash step off the bed.

“What the everloving fuck are you doing?” Karkat asked as Dave went through his dresser. Where had he put the damn thing? Then he found it, a series of small straps of leather with small metal clasps.

“Something I made after my little stint with Gamzee,” he replied, making Karkat jump as he was already in front of him.

“I really fucking hate it when you do that,” Karkat muttered as Dave pushed the small item into his hands. “And the hell is this?”

“Its called a cock ring, though I made this one a little different,” Dave laid back against the head of the bed, legs spread. “It will let me last longer, no matter how much I want to come while I’m in ya.” At that Karkat looked at the device with a whole new interest. “Now come here and put it on me.” Karkat looked between the thing in his hand, Dave’s cock, and then back at it. Dave found it amazing how Karkat’s bulge moved, twitched and tried to wrap around itself with more vigor as he looked back at Dave.

“Okay,” and he suddenly sounded very horse. Dave liked it. Walking forwards on his knees Karkat opened the snaps.

“That part goes around the base of my dick,” Dave said, and shivered as Karkat’s hands went to snap it in place. “And the other part wraps around my balls.”

“So these are what you were always telling me to suck?” Karkat asked as he slid the two straps around.

“Nice and tight, and yes they are.” Dave confirmed and let out a small sound of uncomfort as Karkat snapped it into place. He could feel himself being impossibly hard, felt the squeeze on his balls. “Right now, wait what are you...” But Dave stopped when Karkat had lowered himself between his legs, and felt his eyes roll back in his head as Karkat actually opened his mouth and sucked one of Dave’s balls into the heat of his mouth. “Fuck babe not fair,” he said, hand going to Karkat’s head. Karkat came off with a pop, careful of teeth and grinned.

“Quit your whining, Strider.”

Dave didn’t respond to that. Instead he reached out and touched Karkat’s cheek, hand sliding around to the back of the trolls head and pulling him forwards. They didn’t say anything as Dave rose to his knees, pulling Karkat in for a kiss while Karkat’s bulge went back to wrap around Dave’s cock. They both moaned into each other’s mouths, Dave’s hands sliding down Karkat’s body, over his sides and down his hips to cradle Karkat’s ass in his hands. Karkat’s arms wrapped tight around his neck.

“Fuck it really is perfect,” Dave said against Karkat’s mouth to which he got a nip in response. His hands massaged and rubbed, dipping into the cleft and made Karkat moan when fingers slid down and toyed with the back of his nook. “Nice and wet for me already aren’t you babe.” Dave said, lips tracing Karkat’s chin as the trolls legs slid apart a little wider. Dave pulled him flush to him, one hand still massaging Karkat’s ass while the other slid farther along his nook. When Dave slid a finger inside Karkat shuddered hard.

“Holy fuck yes,” he whispered, face pressed into the joint between Dave’s shoulder and throat. “Please Dave.” And holy hell if that wasn’t the hottest thing Dave had ever heard.

“Love it when you talk pretty for me,” Dave said and slid the finger in as far as the strange positioning would allow him. He wasn’t going to change it just yet, not with how Karkat’s bulge was making him buck gently against him. That did make it a little harder to slid a finger in, but it was still possible.

“More more more more more,” Karkat chanted, claws tightening against Dave’s back. The slight pain went straight to Dave’s cock as he slid in another finger, scissoring them inside Karkat and making him buck hard against Dave. The bulge on his cock writhed. Karkat ground down on his hand and swirled his bulge around Dave’s cock, making both tingle with his natural lubricants.

“You ready for me yet babe?” Dave asked, trying not to sound out of breath. His brain was coming back to him at least a little, and he wanted to make sure Karkat was still okay with everything before all the touching put him back into a sex crazed stupor. Karkat stopped bucking and grinding, staying still except for a slight trembling and the way his bulge twitched around Dave.

“Yeah,” He finally said pulling back. Dave watched with an arched eyebrow as Karkat turned and went to all fours, bulge slipping from Dave. As Karkat slid into his position Dave brought his hand to his mouth and licked the liquid away, letting it send heat through him and savoring the taste as Karkat stopped moving. The sight was one of the absolute hottest things Dave had ever seen. Karkat’s ass was up and practically begging for him to grab it, which he did gently.

“No offense babe,” Dave said, moving forwards to push at Karkat’s side, “But I’d rather see your face first time around.” Karkat’s head shot up to look at Dave with wide eyes.

“B-but what about the bucket?” He asked. Dave just grinned and helped Karkat roll over. He was gentle, spreading Karkat’s legs so he could kneel between them, hand going to distract Karkat’s bulge from his cock so he could position himself.

“I thought I told you,” Dave said softly, guiding Karkat’s bulge between his legs and to his opening. Karkat looked Dave full in the face as his bulge probed against the ring of muscle, making Dave want to thrust back on it. He knew what that was going to feel like, even if it only went in a small way. He leaned forwards and kissed Karkat before pulling back with a grin. “I’m going to be your bucket.” Karkat’s eyes went even wider.

“Oh fuck me,” he said softly. Dave just shook his head and kissed Karkat again.

“Think this is just a bit too tender to be called fucking wouldn’t you?” And if Karkat went any redder Dave was pretty sure he would glow.

“Dave,” Karkat said softly as Dave lined up, the head of his cock pressing gently against Karkat’s nook as Karkat’s bulge did the same to him.

“Yeah?” Dave asked, kissing his shoulder.

“I think I might...fuck what do you humans call it.” He chewed on his lip, eyes looking away as he tried to remember.

“I think I love you too.” The words were out before Dave could think on them, and as soon as the words were Karkat looked like he might cry. Actually Dave was pretty sure there were tears coming up, but this wasn’t a time to cry. “Hold tight to me babe.” Dave said softly, and Karkat just wrapped his arms around him, legs going to lock over Dave’s hips at the same time. Pressing a kiss to Karkat’s mouth Dave pushed slowly inside, and god did he go slow. He wanted to memorize every ripple of Karkat’s insides as he kissed him, remember the way Karkat barely curved till he was almost fully in, how when he ran one hand through Karkat’s hair he had let out a breathy sob.

“You okay babe?” Dave asked, freezing at the sound.

“Yes, oh fucking hell Dave, please, oh fuck please move.” Karkat said, voice almost a sob.

“You first,” Dave replied and kissed Karkat’s forehead. For a moment Karkat looked like he was at a loss, then his bulge twitched over Dave’s backside and he seemed to remember that he had one. With the same slowness Dave had done to him Karkat pressed against him. There was resistance, plenty of it, and the only reason Dave didn’t make a noise of pain was from the amount of lubricant that had already been spread over the opening. In a few moments Karkat was panting below him, head resting on the bed as a good five inches slid into Dave, the tip just rubbing over his prostate.

“You’re-you’re so tight Dave,” Karkat whispered and bucked, making them both moan out.

“Holy hell,” Dave said and pulled out slowly before pushing back in. His thrusts were slow and deep, and Karkat matched them as they began to move. They kissed each other tenderly, letting their bodies learn and explore. Dave’s cock was quickly denied orgasm from the intensity of the feelings Karkat’s body created; not to mention how it felt to have Karkat in his ass. They thrust against each other, in each other, and their mouths brushed and wandered away to other areas of skin when they needed to breath. Their lips always found each other again, Karkat’s breathing out various curses and prayers of Dave’s name, Dave’s dripping with ‘babe’, ‘angel’, and of course ‘Karkat’. As much as they enjoyed the slow movements soon they dissolved, the kisses became more heated, and the hands on Dave’s back went from petting to clasping. He knew there would be marks, and fuck if he cared.

“Faster Dave, you taintlicker faster,” Karkat growled, body bucking against Dave’s and feet pulling Dave down with each thrust. Dave complied, happy that Karkat’s nook was much more accommodating to his cock, and that he wasn’t constantly ramming against tender flesh. At one moment he did change direction and thrust against something that had Karkat arching hard. “There!” He practically screamed. “There there there, god damn it Dave theeeeeeeeaaaahh.” Karkat arched hard, Dave thrusting in deep as Karkat scrambled for one of Dave’s hands and pushed it to his mouth which was spilling words. “So fucking close. Holy mother grub please god Dave let me cum. So close, so fucking close. Please please please,” Dave fumbled for Karkat’s other hand, and brought it to his mouth.

“Cum for me baby,” Dave said and licked a line over Karkat’s wrist, getting an arched cry as he hit that spot again. “Cum for me Karkat.” Then he bit, and Karkat bit, and everything tightened. Just like with Gamzee everything just stopped, unmoving. Dave could feel blood welling from the shallow bite Karkat had put into his wrist, could taste a small amount of blood in his own mouth from the barely their bite he had left himself. Dave gently released the mark, rest of his body unmoving as Karkat trembled. “Love you Karkat.” He said softly. The teeth on his wrist released, and so did the rest of Karkat’s body.

Dave didn’t know why he did it, but he did. Just as Karkat released his wrist Dave stopped time. Karkat’s head was thrown back, eyes blown wide with his fangs flashing a deep crimson from blood and the bedroom light. Dave felt Karkat’s body frozen around his, the way it fit around him, the beginning of his genetic material spilling into him. Dave wanted to stay in that moment forever, to just look at Karkat’s everlasting face of bliss. In reality Dave wasn’t sure how long he kept time stopped, but when he felt himself start to shake with the effort he reached down between his legs and released the ring, and at the same time the flow of time.

The sudden rush of pleasure left him breathless as Karkat let out a scream that Dave vaguely realized was his name. He could feel Karkat’s genetic material coating his insides, sliding down his thighs as he emptied into the torrent of material spilling from Karkat’s nook. Dave braced himself with elbows on either side of Karkat’s head and Karkat gripped his back as both their bodies shook, slowly coming down from climax.

“Holy fuck,” Karkat panted, claws releasing from Dave’s back.

“Yeah,” Dave replied, wincing from his still hard cock inside Karkat. As he pulled out he kissed Karkat again, a slight whimper buzzing against his lips as he pulled out fully and fell to the side, Karkat slipping from him. He could feel Karkat’s genetic material sinking into his sheets, its warmth coating his lower body, and wouldn’t have cared if he wasn’t achingly hard. Reaching down he popped off the last of the cock ring which gave a little relief, but not nearly enough. Not wanting to break the magic of Karkat’s first orgasmic bliss Dave said nothing, and was surprised when Karkat actually spoke.

“Ablution trap?” Karkat questioned, voice still a slight pant.

“Hell yeah.” Dave said with a smile. It took a few stumbling minutes to get them there, but once the water was on and Dave had his cock rinsed they steadied. They sat on the floor, Karkat humming as Dave washed his hair, feet pressed to Karkat’s thighs. Karkat was admiring the mark Dave had made on his wrist. It wasn’t deep, but blood had caked on it and it would bruise. Dave looked at his own, glad it had stopped bleeding, and knowing that it was only thanks to the god tier. It was deeper, more defined, and was going to leave one hell of a mark for a while. Dave thought of promise rings and smiled.

They didn’t say much, just shared lazy kisses between rinsing soap and shampoo before the water began to run cold and Dave dried Karkat off. He was proud he only molested Karkat’s ass a few times leaving the bathroom.

When they left Dave quickly stripped the bed, amazed Karkat’s genetic material hadn’t oozed into the mattress, and between the two of them they had it made with fresh sheets in minutes. As they slid into bed Karkat pressed his face into Dave’s chest, his body showing distinct signs of exhaustion. Dave smiled and held him close, their naked legs tangling together. The idea of clothing hadn’t even been entertained.

“That...that was amazing,” Karkat finally said, a content purring coming from him as Dave chuckled and stroked his still damp hair.

“I will fully agree with that.” He kissed the top of Karkat’s head and got comfortable. Sleep pulled on him, dream bubbles already clamoring for his attention.

“I really do think I love you dumb ass,” Karkat whispered from the narrowing darkness. Dave smiled.

“I really think I love you too.” He got a slight purr for that and tightened arms, but soon Karkat was pulled into the dream bubbles after him.

\-------------------

Dave woke with a start. Karkat lay next to him, tangled around his body in a deep sleep. For a moment Dave had thought it had been Karkat having a nightmare that woke him, but that wasn’t it. Something had happened in his dream bubble, something that made him jerk awake. Touchdown would be in less than a day, and Dave tried to go back to sleep, rubbing over the mark that had been remade over and over in the last few days. He looked at the hand on his chest and saw the one he had been remaking and smiled. Closing his eyes he tried to go back to sleep, but it was no use.

Untangling himself from Karkat as gently as he could he pulled on his god tier clothes and went to walk about the asteroid. The dream was nagging, a dream he couldn’t quite remember as he went topside to stare into the darkness. What had it been, what had it been?

He stared into the dark, felt himself inwardly shiver, then the sky broke. Dave looked on with wide eyes as suddenly there was light that wasn’t really light. There was something wrong, something very wrong, and as he sat there he remembered why he woke up. Because in his dream he was a crow, a crow following himself as he died over and over, a crow that could do nothing but caw. And when he finally gave up the endeavor of watching himself, he looked up, saw shadows of the dead, and followed them into the sun.

 _Someone will die_ Rose had said.

When Dave went back to his room he held Karkat close, pressed kisses to his neck and face, and when Karkat finally woke up and asked why he was crying Dave just smiled and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

“Bad dream.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ten pages of smutt. I am going to go curl up in a ball now and not sleep some more.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Added warning because...yeah...please read to the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always did my best with grammar, so sorry for mistakes. The lovely taterthulu/taterdoom helped me quite a bit with this one so here is to hoping we caught them all!

The sun was completely heatless as they stood on the planet that looked more like a compilation of worlds that Dave had seen three years ago. Dirk was nearby with Jake, both at the ready while John floated above with Rose and Jade. Roxy and Jane were behind, and the rest were with Dave, though a bit behind him. Except for Gamzee, Gamzee was sitting on his refrigerator, smoking a joint, and keeping a very close eye on Jane who looked extremely un-nerved. Then of course, it could have been because of the very large green...thing that was standing before them. The thing called Lord English.

The Condesce was dead long before they had reached her, the green monstrosity having ripped her to shreds. Apparently she hadn’t been what he had needed, and having let Dirk survive along with the other kids had lead to her bloody demise. There were still stains of the royal purple all over the green monsters clothes, red too from the jack noir of the alpha game. It had made it easier for them to get to this point, but that didn’t mean it was going to make the fight any easier. The thing looked like a green brick wall in a fucked up coat.

Roxy had screamed the name Calliope at it over and over, but it had just smiled. Currently it was busy as the players got into position, Jack Noir and what looked like his white counterpart flying above and dive bombing the thing. That had been the most interesting part of entering the new game, Noir coming in with this strange white version that from what Dave could tell was...maybe female? He couldn’t be sure. Flashes of pink, blue, and orange flitted through the sky, going to John who blew a gust of wind down. Dave nodded and looked back. Noir and his friend were getting their asses kicked, but that had been the rule hadn’t it? Some had to die before the game could be won.

Dave almost jerked when he felt a hand slip into his, and turning found Karkat, sickle out. The trolls weren’t having any problems with the strange cold sun of the world. He squeezed and Karkat squeezed back. From behind him Dave heard a chainsaw roar to life as Lord English, at least that was what Rose had called him, shot off another strange bolt from what looked like a wand and took Noir right out of the sky, his tattered black wings no longer able to keep him up. From somewhere above he heard Jade make a sound, but she didn’t move. They had made a promise, a promise they would keep until the white Noir went down. Dave’s eyes darted to the only other body on the field and clutched his sword hard. The mayor had rushed in seconds after Noir and the other one. English had picked him off in seconds.

“This is gonna suck,” Karkat said softly, grip growing in strength.

“Yep.” Dave said with a little nod and looked back at those behind him at the only other godtier they had been able to procure. Only Jane had managed to reach god tier, and even that had been an almost fluke of Jade finding a way to her world. Jade had zeroed in, and Roxy had just enough of a grasp on her weak void abilities to get a portal open to pull in Jane’s bed. Jake had been the one to shoot her at her request. Dave had never seen anyone shake like he had, had never seen anyone hold on as tightly to another living being as Jake did to Dirk as they waited for Jane to wake up.

There was a soft cry above them and Dave looked back in time to watch the white Noir fall.

“Love you,” Karkat said next to him. Dave took precious seconds to peck Karkat on the cheek and prayed he heard him say it back as he flash stepped forwards. Tornados flew around him and Dirk as they sprinted forwards, flash steps closing the gap in mere seconds before they made quick slashes. One to the head, one to the chest. Dirks blow to the head was blocked by the strange wand English used, Dave’s barely left a gash. Fuck.

With quick speed they split, Dave feeling heat flash behind him as Jade threw a handful of pebbles into the air, their size growing to boulders in seconds as they flew with John’s air. Rose called down directions as they would all do their rounds. Dirk and Dave the distractions along with large falling items. Kanaya managed to cut off a hand, though it barely seemed to slow English down as he blasted after her. Dave caught her before she hit the ground, arm badly burned as he rushed her to Jane. The Maid of Life was working on a bleeding Terezi already, sweating as a light green glow surrounded the troll, rapidly healing the worst wounds. Dave said nothing as he set Kanaya down. Looking up he glared at Gamzee, eyes far away as he sucked down smoke. Hate flashed through him as he went back to the battlefield.

He watched as Karkat left a long gash across English’s belly before ducking between his legs and dashing away fast, Dave quickening his pace to distract the thing before it went after his matesprit. Dave landed two successive blows and watched as the strangest mixture of color came out of the creature's flesh. It was like it couldn’t make up its mind if it was red or green. Dashing back he watched Dirk flash past him, heard guns going as he realized Jake was on his back, firing away. Above he could hear Rose screaming to everyone, telling openings of luck as they darted in and out.

Dave spun to attack again, took a few steps, and slid. Below his feet the ground had been burned to glass from one of the blasts, sending him stumbling. In that moment he looked up, saw mismatched eyes lock on his, and watched as a shock of lightning went right for him.  
Dave reached for time, but just as he did he was jolted, thrown to the ground, and watched the beam shoot by, a brilliant fountain of red flashing by as he turned. Karkat looked wide eyed, still stumbling from having shoved Dave out of the way. For once Dave wasn’t what made time slow down. With a scream he grabbed Karkat mid-fall, feet stumbling as he took the weight, a weight there should have been a lot more of. He rolled with him, barely missing the next blast as he hid behind one of Jade’s boulders.

“No no no no,” He chanted, hands scrambling to cover the literal god damn chunk that had been blasted from Karkat.

“D-Dave,” Karkat choked.

“Shh, shh. Its okay, we’ll get you back to Jane and everything will be okay.” Dave said as he tried to push in the red guts that were trying to come out.

“Dave,” Karkat said again, hand grasping at Dave’s, trying to pull them from the wounds.

“God damn it Karkat stop,” Dave shouted as more light and heat flashed by them as he looked at the wound. There was so much blood. Too much blood.

“Dave, please,” Dave lifted his eyes to see Karkat holding out his wrist, the wrist with the mark.

“No. No no no,” he chanted. Karkat’s other hand took Dave’s, the one with the mark and brought it to his mouth. He could hear screaming behind him, heard Jade screeching and John shouting. Dirk let out an inhuman sound somewhere. Karkat bit and the world muted. He looked at Dave, chest struggling, eyes pleading. Dave took Karkat’s wrist and bit. Karkat took a strained swallow of Dave’s blood, and Dave did the same, tears in his eyes.

Karkat pulled his bleeding wrist from Dave, removed Dave’s from his mouth, and pressed the two wounds together.

“R-Repeat,” and Karkat coughed up more than just Dave’s blood. All he could do was nod.

“B-blood to blood do b-bind us flush,” Karkat gasped, chest heaving as he wrapped his hand just below Dave’s mark, Dave doing the same so their bloody bites pressed together.

“Blood to blood do bind us flush,” Dave said as quickly as he could, eyes locked on Karkat’s while he kept their hands together, free hand holding Karkat’s insides in.

“T-till our bones do grind to du-ust.” Another cough and more blood.

“Till our bones do grind to dust, Karkat please be-”

“We brave the, the sun and mark we,” he panted for a moment. “Mark we make.” Dave sobbed and shook his head, but he spoke.

“We b-brave the sun and mark we make.” Tears were flowing and he didn’t care as the world around them boomed. Karkat’s other hand reached for his face, tracing a shaking thumb under his eye.

“Forever matesprits,” He whispered, voice faltering. “Blood blend and bake.” Dave sobbed hard as he let go of Karkat’s wound and slid his hands into his hair, over his cheek, leaving sticky trails of red.

“F-forever matesprits,” He swallowed hard tasting Karkat on his tongue. “Blood blend and bake.” Karkat smiled then, a genuine smile, and it was all Dave could do not to scream to the stars. Instead he leaned down and kissed him hard, hard and long as Karkat’s hand tightened in his hair, their wrists still clasped.

“I love you,” Karkat said against his mouth.

“I love you too,” Dave sobbed. “Don’t you leave me,don’t you fucking leave me.” But the hand in his hair was already laxing, the one around his wrist too. “Karkat don’t you fucking dare you sack of shit. Don’t you dare leave me here you hear me.” Karkat’s mouth twitched in a smirk.

“Shut up Dave.” Then he was gone.

“No,” Dave said softly, gripping Karkat’s limp hand while he pet at the black hair. “No, no no no no no.” He looked up, back towards Jane, saw her bent over Jake, heard Dirk scream somewhere in pain, and of all people locked eyes with Terezi. Her glasses were gone, eyes wide and staring right at them. “You can’t leave Karkat,” he whispered. “We have a witness.” Then a searing heat flew past, incinerating part of his cape, and Terezi was just a teal smear.

 _In one we all die and lose,_ He heard Rose say as he watched the next blast take out Jane and Jake. Above him he watched John fall like a stone. _the other we win, but at a cost._ Dave listened as Rose’s screams stopped. _Someone will die._

Dave let go of Karkat’s hand, kissed him gently, and stood up.

“See you soon babe.” Dave whispered. He looked at the last living person, at Gamzee. His kismesis had stood up, dressed in the strangest outfit he had ever seen. God tier registered in his head as the troll strode towards the battlefield. Dave could hear English coming for him, the rise and fall of the peg leg. Gamzee looked straight at Dave and nodded before he was suddenly barreling towards English, an inhuman cry coming from him with his face twisted in rage. Dave reached for time just as he saw the bolt hit Gamzee square in the chest.

For the first time since his scratch game, Dave created a doomed timeline.

\---------------------

Dave spun to attack again, took a few steps, and slid. Below his feet the ground had been burned to glass from one of the blasts, sending him stumbling. In that moment he looked up, saw mismatched eyes lock on his, and watched as a shock of lightning went right for him. Then all he could see was the red cape, black glasses, and a smirk.

“Save them dumb ass.” He felt the flash of pain just has e was shoved out of the way, back into Karkat who was suddenly right behind him. He watched his chest get blown out, glimpsed his timeline, the bleeding mark, and sobbed once. Then he was up, grabbing Karkat around the middle and sprinting.

“Dave, Dave the fuck are you doing,” Karkat snapped as Dave ran past Jane and handed a squirming Karkat to Gamzee. The troll took Karkat slowly, one arm wrapping vice like as the other held a joint to his lips.

“Keep him safe or I’ll kill you.” He said softly.

“No problem motherfucker.” Gamzee replied, voice hoarse.

“Dave, Dave. Dave, no, what are you doing DAVE!” But he was already running. He watched as Jake shoved Dirk to the side, light flashing through his stomach. Dirk was past Dave faster than time itself. Above him he heard Rose suddenly go quiet mid scream, saw the wand point right at him. His sword was ready, the blade glinting, and then the flash of orange to his side. He looked to see his face, framed in feathers with a smirk.

“I’m getting sick of watching myself die all the time.” The sprite said. With a hard flap it was in front of Dave, right as the flash came. It was like looking into the sun. When the blast hit the sprite Dave saw everything at once. Saw every death through the eyes of the sprite that had lasted through each time line, the sprite that had managed to always outlive him. He would always caw out, a warning sound, but it never did anything as a doomed self would fall. There was a flash of relief in Dave as orange disintegrated, feathers flew passed, and he came out the other side of what he could only describe as a sun. When the light cleared all Dave could see was Lord English. Its face was confused as the wand came up, and in that moment Dave realized he would be a second too late. He didn’t slow down. The smile that came over the things face was cruel, evil, and Dave tried to push faster even if he knew it would be no use.

“CALIBORN!” The word roared through his head, through the world. Gamzee’s voice echoed over the battlefield as the world seemed to stop, all sound and movement stopping except for Dave. He could hear a ticking, feel time around him, and looked hard as the eyes in English’s head stopped shifting, and the blood ran purely red. The hand with the wand stopped moving, and as Dave swung his sword up and through the things neck he was surprised to watch it smile. Surprised to see red irises looking at him in thanks.

Dave hit the ground at the same time as the head, the skull rolling away from him as the body behind shuddered once, twice, and the ticking stopped as time flowed anew. The tornadoes stopped, the world stilled, and when Dave turned around he found everyone staring. Taking two steps forwards Dave picked up the head, looked at the strange red eyes, the smile.

“Thanks for the extra time,” He whispered. Slowly he walked back to the body, set the head down, and headed for his friends. Many of them were hugging, crying. Dave smirked as he saw Dirk holding a dazed looking Jake, Roxy supporting a crying Jane. Above him he could hear sobs as Rose came down to him.

“That was stupid,” She said simply and hugged him tight.

“Got us the ending we wanted though didn’t it?” Dave asked. Rose pulled back and nodded.

“The ever living fuck were you thinking you nookrotting, brainfailing, grubeating,” and the curses only continued as Dave pulled away from Rose, Karkat’s face red with tears as he stomped towards Dave. “I thought you were dead you fucking, you fucking,” Karkat’s anger melted when he finally reached Dave, hands wrapping so hard around his back Dave felt a vertebrae pop. “I thought you were gone. I thought you were fucking gone. Fucking white knight bullshit.” Karkat sobbed into Dave shoulder. Dave just grasped Karkat tighter, pet his hair and shooshed him gently.

“Die a thousand times if I knew you were safe,” Dave said softly. Karkat sobbed hard into his shoulder, hands fisting against his back. Looking up Dave smiled as others congratulated him, hugged both him and Karkat, and each other. The only two who looked bittersweet were John and Jade.

“They lost the sprites.” Terezi said at his elbow. “Apparently they were pretty good friends with those things. They all tasted like artificial sugar, but if one of them was based off you I guess they couldn’t have been that bad.” She gave out a little cackle as Jane hugged Jade, as John walked over and just hugged Dave and Karkat.

“That was bad ass man,” he said pulling away, not caring if Karkat was glaring at him

“Tell you the truth I always thought it would be you doing this shit.” Dave replied and John laughed even if he still was dripping a few tears. Above them Dave watched as the sky started to go dark.

“This mean we win?” He heard John ask.

“Yes,” Kanaya said, having appeared at Rose’s side. Their hands were clasped tight. Dave could barely see scars on their wrists and two small gold bracelets. “This is what happens when you win. The old universe begins to collapse to make room for the new.”

“Then we should make this motherfuckin fast.” Everyone turned to Gamzee who was pulling body parts from the fridge, setting them in a neat row, pieces matching up as if he had done it a million times. Soon Dave could see seven fully made bodies lying on the ground. Some were shriveled, others made totally whole.

No one knew what to do as Gamzee arranged the pieces before pulling out vials of blood, uncorking them and pouring them onto the bodies.

“Gamzee, the fuck are you doing?” Karkat asked, voice unsteady.

“Creating a motherfuckin miracle. That is, as long as our blue sister has been able to keep her motherfuckin half of the deal.” Dave raised an eyebrow at that. “First though, if our Maid wouldn’t mind all up and coming over here so we can get this celebration of living started. Our rust sister should be here soon to help get this corpse party going.”

“What’s going on?” John asked as Gamzee walked to Jane and gently guided her to the bodies. Above them the universe continued to go dark, except for a single speck of light that shimmered. A single dream bubble that had survived the genocide of Lord English.

“Motherfucking miracles,” Gamzee said and winked at Dave and Karkat. Dave just nodded as the light in the sky started to come down. He kissed the top of Karkat’s head as he watched it grow, several shadows floating inside. Karkat held him hard as he looked up wide eyed. “All the motherfuckin miracles.”

For once, Gamzee made Dave smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that wasn't too bad, and that you all enjoyed. Yes even more headcanon but eh...I think at this point your have to be used to it. One more chapter and then that should...SHOULD....be the end of painful needs.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, apologies for any misspellings or grammar mistakes. Please enjoy the last chapter.

The sun made sweat drip down Dave’s back as its rays beat down on him. They had been walking for a little while, finding a clearing that would work. Karkat was next to him, holding his hand and wrapped up in a white sheet while Dave was fully nude. Behind them they could hear two sets of feet moving in time with theirs. It had been Gamzee’s idea for Tavros to come with him, to keep him pacified when all he would want to do was tear through Dave’s flesh. Dave had been fine with it, and after a few moments of raging about having two witnesses, so was Karkat.

The new universe had arrived just moments after Jane and Feferi had collapsed. Somehow Gamzee had known who needed to be woken up first, and from there what order to make it easier on the girls, especially for Feferi. While she couldn’t actually put life back into the husks, once Jane had put life back in the bodies, Feferi was able to heal the seams in broken flesh. Dave had looked at the dream bubble, watched shadows disappear from it as they were put back into flesh. Tavros had been the last to be woken up, and when he did Gamzee had descended on him and refused to let his ‘miracle brother’ go. Just like Dave and Karkat they entered the new universe hand in hand, Tavros walking in on shaking, usable legs.

The new universe had been nothing but an empty void of parts. It was like a giant expanse of grist, and all they needed to do was think it into existence. Everyone had gotten a little section of the universe to make as they would, each with equal parts of grist (though it seemed almost never ending) and to decide what happened to their area. Most created the galaxies and solar systems to grow on their own, to just grow how they would after their owner would set down the basic building blocks and ideals. Others, like Eridan and Vriska, decided they wanted to have a bit more control. Vriska had gotten bored with hers quickly, scrapping it all before it went anywhere and laying down a basic idea. Eridan was still going strong with his, life having already rooted in a few different planets. He went to his section almost every day, or whatever units of time they were using. The rest would go to theirs from time to time, floating in and out of the worlds. Dave found it funny how they didn’t have to be god tier to become a god.

Dave had just finished his universe, for the moment. He would let things go for a while, speed forward to see how life on those planets had ended up, then maybe he would try his own micro managing. Karkat had created and left, though Dave had found him staring down at his swirling planets, nudging life in different directions now and again before being caught and blushing.

“I’m a fucking god, need to make sure I don’t fuck them up too much.” He had grumbled, Dave had kissed him hard.

An amount of time later that no one could be sure of, they each left their creations and joined at the center of their collective universe. There sat their planet that they had all created together, with a piece done by each either inside or out, and retired to its surface. That wasn’t to say they didn’t leave now and again, but it wasn’t really needed. The humans hadn’t needed the guidance of the trolls, and neither would the new worlds. Didn’t mean they didn’t like looking in on them now and again.

But with a bass line down and time flowing normally everywhere Dave had decided it was about time he put some other plans into action, hoping to be the first in the new worlds. He had been pissed to find out that Gamzee had beat him to it, coming back one day with a grumbling Karkat and blushing Tavros. That didn’t mean it was necessarily a bad thing. Tavros would be able to keep Dave from getting mauled during the ceremony after all.

It had started with two bracelets he had crafted himself. Two simple silver bands with the reddest stones he could create in the center. Karkat had been sitting in the dark, eyes looking over the world that was a mix of Alternia and Earth, not paying much mind as Dave walked over to him.

“What do you want, Dave?” And though he was still snarky Dave knew Karkat meant it kindly as he reached for him, though he didn’t turn towards his counterpart. Taking off his sunglasses Dave hadn’t said anything, just knelt and waited for Karkat to turn. The metal on his wrist was cold as it glinted in the starlight they had created. “You’re being quiet. What the fuck happen? Gamzee punch you too hard in your windchute?” Karkat had turned then, saw how Dave was, saw the strange little box, and had almost fallen off the roof. “T-the fuck are you doing?” Dave was happy Kanaya had explained to Karkat what the bracelets meant, seeing as her blood wouldn’t have cooked with rose’s no matter what had happened. It made what Dave was doing all the easier.

“Karkat,” Dave had said gently, hand pulling the top of the box off to show the little bracelet that glinted like his own. Taking a deep breath he started, no bass line needed other than his heart beat.

“Been by my side since the scratch started  
now that we are here, no need to be parted

so take these rhymes and this small token  
and give me your heart, promise it won’t ever be broken

cuz I gave you mine the day you saw me fall  
and now all I want is you, babe, I would even crawl

here at your feet spilling my heart in a ryhme  
so tell me Karkat, you willing to be mine?”

Karkat blinked hard, chest heaving as Dave stayed still on one knee, not admitting his heart was racing. “Will you go stand in the sun with me so we can get matching love blood tattoos?” Dave finally asked, just in case the rap hadn’t gotten through how he wanted, and a few more minutes had stretched by as Karkat had opened and closed his mouth soundlessly. The redder Karkat got the more Dave smirked until Karkat had literally thrown himself at the Strider.

“Yes you retarded, panrotted idiot, yes.” He had all but sobbed into Dave’s shoulder. Dave had never smiled wider, and when Karkat finally pulled back enough to kiss him, Dave was absolutely beaming.

Two days later and they were walking through the thin forests and fields along the coast. The breeze that made it to them from the sea was welcomed under a sun that was made much warmer than the one on earth, but not as bad as the one on Alternia. That didn’t mean Dave wasn’t going to have one hell of a sunburn when they got back.

“Here.” Karkat said suddenly as they walked through a clearing. Nearby a small brook was making noise, the few birds that had started to evolve were chirping merrily, and the sun came down without a cloud in the sky. Dave smiled as he watched the white blanket fully fall away, Karkat’s skin already developing the cracks he had warned to Dave that would happen. Dave looked at Karkat’s body and smiled softly. He would be going through his change soon, much like how Gamzee had after he had finished his section of universe. For those who had been dead for the sweep and a half, it would take them a little longer to catch up, but that hadn’t meant everyone hadn’t been surprised when Karkat had emerged from one of his planets with a much taller, much sharper Gamzee. “Would you stop that,” Karkat muttered as he caught Dave looking him over, and Dave saw just the barest jump of his bone sheath.

“Nope,” Dave said with a smile and pulled Karkat to him, kissing him hard. Karkat clung back to him, and Dave did his best to shove down the arousal that was wanting to grow. He wasn’t about have Tavros deal with Gamzee waxing black, though hopefully with Karkat wrapped in his arms it wouldn’t be a problem.

“Okay,” Karkat said finally pulling back, cheeks red from more than just the sun. “Lets, lets start.” Karkat turned away to yell at the other trolls, telling them to stop having sloppy makeouts and to do their damn job. Dave had to smirk as he saw the height difference between Gamzee and Tavros as they pulled away, and wondered how tall Tavros would grow once he finally hit his last pupation.

“Uh, sorry,” Tavros called out, and Dave could see his blush under the heavy hood he wore. Gamzee was wearing something similar, though his now very large hands were easily seen underneath.

“Whatever,” Karkat grumbled and turned back to Dave. He looked at Dave’s chest for a while before taking a deep breath. “You sure you want me for the rest of our most likely never ending shit heap lives?” Karkat finally asked. It wasn’t the first time, and Dave doubted it would be the last. Instead of answering Dave took the wrist with the bracelet and slightest of marks. Sliding the silver down he pressed his mouth to Karkat’s wrist and kissed between the tendons. With a shaky breath Karkat took Dave’s. “Ready?” Karkat asked against Dave’s wrist. Dave just nodded, and in a moment they were sinking their teeth into each other's flesh.

Karkat’s blood spread over his tongue, and in a moment Dave had swallowed the almost sweet tang of his blood. One large gulp, and he felt Karkat do the same. Pulling away from the wound Dave could already feel it drying on his lips, felt it almost burning. He quickly licked it away.

“Okay,” Karkat said with a slight pant. “Repe-”

“Blood to blood, do bind us flush,” the words rolled off Dave’s tongue, almost startling him. There was a flash of an almost memory that even in the sun had him shiver. Karkat looked at him wide eyed for a moment before they quickly blinked to almost shut, the sunlight too much for them.

“Blood to blood, do bind us flush,”Karkat said softly if not a bit confused, their wrists pushing together, hands clasping just blow the bites.

“Till our bones do grind to dust.” There was an itching starting as their blood mixed beneath the sunlight. When it hit the ground Dave almost swore he heard a sizzling.

“Till our bones do grind to dust.” Karkat’s eyes were closed as Dave felt the blood starting to stop, clogging his own mark as it did so.

“We brave the sun and mark we make,” Dave said softly and was surprised when Karkat released his wrist turning his mark up towards the sun, though keeping his arm next to Dave’s.

“We brave the sun and mark we make,” Karkat said through almost gritted teeth. Small amount of red were dripping from his eyes. Dave moved his mark up to face the sun and almost gasped as he quite literally felt Karkat’s blood start to cook on his skin.

“Forever matesprits, blood blend and bake.” They both said at the same time, and Karkat opened his eyes to look at Dave. They had almost become as deep a red as Dave’s since they entered the new universe, and they were beautiful.

“Love you,” Dave said softly and leaned in to kiss Karkat.

“Love you too.” Karkat’s arms wrapped around him, the still burning mark being held to the sun, Dave doing the same. Dave heard a slight clapping from Tavros and chuckle from Gamzee. They kissed for a few moments longer, Dave tracing the cracks in Karkat’s skin and feeling his own burn.

“Come on babe,” He said softly, pulling away so he could bend down and grab the white sheet. Pulling Karkat flush to his side he threw it over them. “Lets go home.” Karkat nodded, and leaning heavily against Dave they began to walk, Gamzee and Tavros leading with clasped hands. Dave smiled as he felt the mark finish searing into his skin, Karkat’s blood now a part of his body, and his blood was cooked into Karkat’s. In front of him his kismesis murmured gently to Tavros, making the brown blooded troll laugh. The world around them hummed with early life, and somewhere a bird called out. Karkat looked up at him, eyes half shut against the sun, but with a smile on his face. Dave bent and kissed him again as they moved, Gamzee letting out a laugh ahead of them. Dave chuckled.

To think it all started with a rap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the end of Painful Needs. Thanks to everyone who read and and left wonderful comments and kudos. Those really do help drive us writers to get stuff done, please remember that. 
> 
>  
> 
> If you have any questions about anything from the series you are more than welcome to ask it over at my tumblr, leticheecopae.tumblr.com . Along with that I have a few audio posts that go into explaining some of the headcanon's for this story a bit better. To find those just go to the search on my page and type in 'Painful Needs' or 'headcanons'. Both should get you to them.
> 
> So for now I will be leaving this little AU to sit for a while, unless taterdoom has her way. Gamzee has been poking at my brain the last few days, so we shall see if he gets to tell his side of the story. For now, it was fun, and I hope you all enjoyed. Take care.
> 
> -Leticheecopae

**Author's Note:**

> Thinking this one is going to be about three chapters, maybe four, putting three for now just because. Lets see if I can finish this part in a week like the last one.


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